A Successful Reintroduction of Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris) through Repatriation of Recently Hatched Larvae

The Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris; CSF) is widely distributed across northwestern North America; however, declines in the southernmost populations, including those in Utah, have resulted in the consideration of this species for protection under the Endangered Species Act. In 1998, a conservation agreement and strategy for Utah's populations of CSF was developed and identified needed conservation actions, including range expansion. We repatriated CSF larvae during 2008-2010 from an extant population in the Provo River into Beaver Creek, a beaver-dominated stream, in the Weber River, a watershed where contemporary surveys indicate CSF have likely been extirpated. In 2011, CSF breeding was first observed in the repatriated population when 11 egg masses were documented in four depositional areas. After ten years of monitoring egg mass numbers, we consider the repatriation a success as this population continues to grow and expand with a high of 54 egg masses (2019) within ten depositional areas (2020). High quality habitat and the large number of CSF larvae transplanted likely attributed to the success of this repatriation. We used 1-2 day old CSF larvae (Gosner life stage 20-21) as the repatriation life stage that we believed would be the most likely to prevent the spread of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd) from the known chytrid fungus positive donor site in the Provo River. Genetic testing of a robust sample (n = 59) of CSF tadpoles across the repatriation site in 2020 did not detect the presence of Bd, potentially indicating that we did not move Bd through the repatriation. Additional replicates would be required beyond this single experiment, however, to better determine if our transplant techniques are effective at preventing the spread of Bd.

Automated summary

The Columbia Spotted Frog, widely distributed in northwestern North America, is a species that has experienced declines in the southernmost populations. A conservation agreement and strategy were developed for the Utah populations, which included range expansion. Repatriation of CSF larvae from one population to another was successful, with observed breeding and increase in numbers. Genetic testing indicated the absence of amphibian chytrid fungus in the repatriated population.